E.J. Noble Signs Management Agreement With Canton-Potsdam

Tools

E.J. Noble Hospital in Gouverneur has signed an agreement to be managed by Canton-Potsdam Hospital, according to the chairman of E.J. Noble's board of directors.

Dr. Timothy Monroe told 7 News Tuesday that Canton-Potsdam was chosen because "Canton-Potsdam had a large force of people who are well versed in issues that have come up with our small hospital."

E.J. Noble has been under extreme financial strain since the hospital was forced to largely close at the end of September, when the state Department of Health shut down the hospital's laboratory.

Although the laboratory was allowed to reopen, the hospital is still not allowed to do many procedures, and fewer than half the 70 workers laid off have been called back to work.

Monroe said the state health department has approved the agreement, and E.J. Noble is waiting on approval from National Automatic Sprinkler Pension Fund, which holds a major financial interest in the hospital.

Monroe said Canton-Potsdam has already "assisted us with quality assurance, finances, and streamlining our delivery of services so that we might better be able to generate better income."

He said Canton-Potsdam's relationship with Fletcher-Allen Medical Center in Burlington, Vermont was also a plus.

"We've had folks in from both Canton-Potsdam and Fletcher Allen working at our structures and readjusting our delivery of health care," he said.

In the planned arrangement, E.J. Noble will retain its own board of directors. Once E.J. Noble can begin providing more service, Monroe said he plans to invite laid off workers back.